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Beef cattle

The beef cattle industry makes an important contribution to the Australian economy. In 2015–16 it accounted for about 23 per cent ($13.1 billion) of the total gross value of farm production and 22 per cent of the total value of farm export income.

Around 57 per cent of all Australian farms carry beef cattle, making this the most common agricultural activity in Australia. Beef cattle farms are an important part of the rural economy in almost all regions of Australia.

Building a stronger beef industry

The Australian Government is driving a more profitable, resilient and sustainable beef sector by:

providing $8.3 million to fund the Livestock Global Assurance Program

providing more than $4.8 million through the Rural R&D for Profit program to deliver new technologies to improve the accuracy of measuring yield and eating quality of beef, sheep and pork meat

providing dollar-for-dollar matching funds of $49.3 million in 2016–17 alongside the funding already invested by the sector through levies—for R&D to advance the cattle, goat, lamb and sheep sector

providing $3.3 million to Beef Australia to deliver the 2018 national exposition in Rockhampton, Queensland 6-12 May 2018

eliminating beef tariffs with China by 1 January 2024 under the China–Australia Free Trade Agreement, which came into force on 20 December 2015

negotiating improved market access arrangements for the live cattle trade to Indonesia

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.